October 08, (THEWILL) – A Nevada judge has recommended that a sexual assault complaint against Cristiano Ronaldo be dismissed, meaning that the Portugal star will most likely receive confirmation that the case has been dismissed in the near future.
In 2009, Kathryn Mayorga accused Ronaldo of attacking her in a Las Vegas hotel, but the star has categorically refuted the charge.
Ronaldo, who joined Manchester United from Juventus in August, initially dismissed the allegations as “fake news” in an Instagram video. The allegations were first reported in 2018 by German publication Der Spiegel.
Ronaldo also posted on Twitter at the time, saying: “I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me. Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in.”
The allegations could not “be proven beyond a reasonable doubt” according to the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, which announced in July 2019 that no criminal charges would be filed.
Ronaldo’s lawyers sought for the civil case to be dismissed, and a judge in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada agreed that documents obtained through alleged illegal hacking by Football Leaks should be deemed inadmissible and the case dismissed.
Stovall and Associates, Mayorga’s legal representatives, were chastised by the court for their handling of the matter.
“Dismissing Mayorga’s case for the inappropriate conduct of her attorney is a harsh result,” the court report said. “But it is, unfortunately, the only appropriate sanction to ensure the integrity of the judicial process.”
The materials were “inherently prejudicial to Ronaldo fairly presenting his defence” according to a court filing issued on Thursday.
United States magistrate judge Daniel J Albregts signed the report, which stated: “It is recommended that Ronaldo’s motion for case terminating sanctions be granted. It is further recommended that Mayorga’s action be dismissed with prejudice.”
It said that the court’s decision might be appealed in writing within 14 days.
Mayorga first filed a sexual assault lawsuit in 2009, according to Der Spiegel, and later secured an out-of-court settlement with Ronaldo. According to the magazine, she was paid $375,000 as part of a confidentiality agreement to keep quiet about the allegations.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
